Pioneer's new BDR-XD04J contains a mind-numbing array of disc burning and playback options that should cover you for the next several years.
Perhaps the biggest highlight is support for BDXL BD-R discs, which means you can burn those fancy triple-layer 100GB and quad-layer 128GB Blu-ray discs in a tiny package. This is supposed to be the world's smallest BDXL-compatible portable drive. … Read more
Audio gifts are always a great idea for anyone who likes music or home theater. Here's a quick round up of affordable goodies, priced from $100 or less!
Logitech Mini Boombox First thing, the "Boombox" name might be a little misleading; this tiny thing can't boom, but the Logitech Mini Boombox does sound better than I could have imagined for its size, and price, $100. I'm not of fan micro speakers, but this one ain't bad.
The Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder The Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder ($100) is exactly what … Read more
I get this question a lot, "Steve, what's the best-sounding Blu-ray player." Sometimes the questioner is more specific, "I have an Oppo BDP-83, but is the Oppo BDP- 95 better? What are you using at home?"
I have an Oppo BDP-95 ($999), which has a lot in common with the company's BDP-93 ($499) 3D universal Blu-ray, SACD, DVD-Audio player, but the BDP-95 is the potentially better sounding player. I say potentially because that player's upgraded digital-to-analog converter and audio circuitry won't make a nit of difference if you're using the player'… Read more
Yamaha has unveiled its AV Controller App 2.0 for Android and iOS devices. The app is designed to let users not only control Yamaha receivers and Blu-ray players wirelessly but also stream music to them via DLNA and from a mobile device.
The new app also offers multizone functionality, enabling users to control music in any zone, in addition to system functions such as power, source selection, zones, DSP, and volume.
The app lets users select computers and/or NAS devices from a source list, browse the media contained on them, and stream that media to a receiver. Yamaha … Read more
I tend to post a lot of cheapie laptops, largely because I like things that are cheapie, but also because I think most users can get by with a dual-core processor, minimal RAM, and so on.
Of course, sometimes you want a bit more power, like for games and video editing. Maybe you even want to get your Blu-ray on. That brings us to today's deal.
Newegg has the refurbished HP Pavilion dv6-3259wm 15.6-inch laptop for $399.99 shipped. Among the highlights: a triple-core processor and a built-in Blu-ray drive.
I'll be the first to admit this … Read more
I've received so many great-sounding Blu-rays over the past couple of months, I had to put together a Top 10 list.
A lot of them didn't make the cut; just because a Blu-ray has a high-resolution soundtrack doesn't automatically mean it sounds great; the variables of the original recordings and mixing can make or break the sound. For example, Tom Petty's "Mojo" Blu-ray doesn't sound much better than the CD version of the same music, but it does have an uninspired 5.1 surround mix. All of the following discs are distinctly better … Read more
The differences between different models are often minor; every manufacturer supports a difference suite of streaming-media services and they all pretty much look the same. And a lot of the information you need to make an informed choice isn't readily apparent by browsing the placards at a local retailer.
Luckily, you can narrow your choices quite a bit by asking the right questions. We've isolated the most important features, and once you've made your picks, you should be … Read more
With Blockbuster hanging by a thread and Netflix clearly positioning itself to exit the movies-by-mail business at some point down the road, buying a Blu-ray player might not seem like the smartest move.
Unless, of course, that player is a mere 50 bucks. While supplies last (and they never seem to last long these days), Best Buy has the refurbished Samsung BD-C5500C Blu-ray player for $49.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).
Update: Sold out! If you're still keen on this model, Tech for Less has it for about the same price: $43.97, plus $7.70 … Read more
Today's deal is a little weird. Awesome, but weird.
Fry's has the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 1080p projector for $699, plus $10.44 for shipping. It's new, not refurbished, making this the best deal I can recall seeing for a 1080p projector.
What's the weird part? The Fry's site says it's "available for preorder," so there's no way to know when you'll actually get it. Hmmm.
Update: It now shows in stock!
Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained cheaply, right? Having just reviewed a similar projector priced at $1,500, … Read more
Wondershare's Video Converter Ultimate is, as its name suggests, the ultimate video utility for Windows users. But more than just a file converter, the program is a DVD ripper, DVD burner, Web video downloader, 2D-to-3D converter, audio ripper, and even a bare-bones video editor.
It's interface is simple and straightforward, as it has all the major functions laid out as icons along the top of the window. All of the controls are intuitive, and it even lets you drag-and-drop video files.
For the most part, Video Converter Ultimate performs exceptionally well. Exactly as advertised, it lets you quickly … Read more
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